Seed Paper Printing

Do you have a printing project coming up and want to be more eco-friendly? We’ve got the perfect solution! Instead of printing onto normal paper or cardstock that will end up in the trash, why not ensure that the local ecosystem receives a bump? Choose seed paper, and that’s exactly what can happen!

What is Seed Paper?

Seed paper is exactly what it sounds like – paper that includes seeds. Essentially, this handmade paper source contains a variety of different seeds and can actually be planted! By using seed paper printing to make things such as wedding invitations or greeting cards, you can offer recipients a way to turn it into a thing of beauty.

The exact seeds that are chosen will help determine the thickness, patterns, and colors that can be used. This offers a reusable resource, and the seeds can also provide a decorative effect. The best printing methods to use on seed paper include:

• Inkjet
• Digital
• Offset printing press (1, 2, or 4 color)
• Letterpress

How to make Seed Paper?

Seed paper is a biodegradable eco-paper. In other words, no trees are harmed in making this paper product! Instead, embedded with the seeds are post-industrial and post-consumer paper waste. How does this work? By taking recycled paper pulp, blending it with seeds, and allowing it to dry.

While your recipients will receive a stunning invitation, eye-catching business card, noteworthy promotional materials, or helpful packaging inserts, you can rest easier knowing that you’ve mitigated your environmental damage. Once they’re done using the paper as intended, they can then plant it to grow snapdragons, black-eyed Susans, clarkia, etc. Some seed paper even features vegetables or herbs.

Planting is relatively simple. All you need is to prepare your pot by filling it 2/3 of the way up, plant your paper beneath 1/8 inch of soil, keep the soil nicely damp for 10 days, and once the germination process is complete, water your gorgeous new flowers, veggies, or herbs as needed!

Applications of Seed Paper in Printing

Although custom printed seed paper has recently become extremely popular, it traces its roots all the way back to 1941. Nowadays, it’s used in two primary ways. First, of course, is that it offers a way to get two usages out of the paper. For instance, your birthday party invites can also brighten up your recipient’s yard. Secondly, investing in printable seed paper will make a bold statement about your company’s – or your personal -- commitment to the environment.

Becoming known as an eco-friendly business is definitely a good thing, but printing on seeded paper takes this a step further by creating a unique and memorable experience for your clients. For once, they’ll be receiving paper that’s also a conversation piece, which will enhance engagement and greatly reduce the odds that they’ll simply toss it away.

Seed paper can be utilized in a variety of ways. For instance, we can apply it to:

• Business cards
• Invitations
• Packaging inserts
• Promotional materials

Please be aware that seed paper printing will not look exactly like regular paper. Instead, the seeds within the paper offer visual interest that will easily draw someone’s eye. If you want to position your company as eco-friendly and ensure that your latest business card won’t be forgotten immediately, then utilizing printable plantable paper is the right choice!

Technical Considerations for Seed Paper Printing

Before you turn in your print order, it’s vital to take a few things into consideration. Printing on seeded paper is a special process, after all.

Design Ideas

There are three things to keep in mind when you choose to print on seed paper.

• Avoid Intricate Fonts/Small Text – Incorporating the seeds into your design means leaving small text and intricate fonts on the cutting room floor. Instead, go for a larger, more simplistic font.
• Use a Minimal Design – Seed paper tends to be quite fibrous. Therefore, avoid using large blocks of color. If you don’t, you may end up with the ink leaching along the fibers.
• Be Creative – By choosing a clever design, you can actually use the embedded seeds to create interesting patterns. This will make your decision to print on seed paper even more powerful!

Printer Compatibility

When choosing your printing process, carefully consider the final result you’re looking for. Let’s examine how each printing type will impact what you’ll receive.

• Inkjet Printing – This method generally works the best. We spray the ink down on the paper, which allows us to preserve high germination rates while printing at the highest quality available.

Please note: It’s not recommended that more than 25% of the paper be printed in color. Leave a lot of white space in your design.

• • Letterpress Printing – When you want a nostalgic feel, select letterpress! Your pages will come out looking debossed and can use one or two colors, max. You’ll receive less detail than inkjet or offset printing, but you’ll also end up with a handcrafted appearance.

• • • Digital Printing – Our digital printing process utilizes 4-color CMYK. This process works best with cardstock and provides high-quality results.

• • • Offset Printing – If you need to get a large project turned around quickly, offset printing may be your best option. However, using this method will significantly reduce the number of seeds that can be successfully germinated.

As you can see, inkjet printing works best, but offset printing is much faster. Meanwhile, letterpress or digital printing falls somewhere in the middle.

Seed Paper Printing Services

Every printing service doesn’t offer seed paper printing. So, if you’re trying to find a company that can reliably produce excellent seed paper printing results, be sure to turn to Sheer Print Solutions! In fact, we worked with one of the top NYC ad agencies to create a variety of stunning seed-printed products. We were even about to silkscreen a hidden heat thermo message onto the paper that was revealed via UV coating!

Ready to take advantage of the power of eco-friendly printing? Request a quote from Sheer Print Solutions today for your seed printing project!

About The Author

 

Craig Sheer

Craig Sheer is the owner of Sheer Print Solutions, located in New York City & Portchester, NY. We are the proven leader for affordable, high-quality Digital and Offset, and Large Format Printing in NYC. Sheer Printing Solutions is your single source for solutions to all your printing, binding, warehousing and fulfillment needs.